Deion Sanders’ Viral Halftime Speech Sparks Colorado’s Defensive Effort vs. BYU

The Colorado Buffaloes may have fallen 24-21 to BYU, but there were still a few positives to take away—especially on defense.

The Buffaloes gave up three touchdowns yet never allowed the Cougars to produce a 200-yard passer or a 100-yard rusher. Just as important, the defense didn’t give up more than one score in any quarter.

It’s not the kind of thing one brags about after a loss, but this group has done its part to keep the Buffaloes in games while the offense continues to find its rhythm.

Deion Sanders’ Halftime Message to the Buffaloes’ Defense

Deion Sanders Kaidon Salter BYU Cougars Colorado Buffaloes Big 12 Football College Football CBS Sports ESPN Recruiting — Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Buffaloes’ defense had done a pretty solid job in the first half, giving up just 10 points. The offense, though, with Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter at the helm, was struggling to get anything going. At halftime, Sanders pulled the defense together at halftime and gave them a fired-up talk, telling them it was time to take control.

“We can dominate this game and y'all do your job and turn it up,” Sanders said. “Y'all are better than this. There's gotta be something inside yourself that wants something more. Don't ever settle."

The speech seemed to land with the players. The Buffaloes’ defense kept it together in the second half, giving up only one touchdown per quarter.

They lost, but the defense showed they can keep the team in the game.

Afterward, Colorado coach Deion Sanders didn’t sugarcoat things. He admitted the team had its chances but struggled to rise to the moment when it mattered most.

“Sometimes it felt like the moment was just too big for some of our athletes,” Sanders said after the game. “We have to be better as a staff, as a team and I have to do better. We had opportunities. We just didn’t make it happen.”

For Colorado, the challenge now is simple: stop settling for silver linings and start turning defensive toughness into complete performances that can close out games.

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Colorado’s Defense Shows Grit in Narrow Loss to BYU

Salter played well for most of the game, but things started to slip in the fourth quarter. He came out strong in the first, but the offense managed just one touchdown over the final three quarters.

The defense hung in there, but Colorado’s offense just couldn’t find consistency. By the second half, the defenders looked worn down and had trouble stopping BYU on third down.

Turnovers and missed chances didn’t help, and BYU’s defense stepped up right when Colorado was starting to find its rhythm. Drives kept stalling, and slowly the momentum slipped away.

The Buffaloes defense showed flashes of what they can do but just couldn’t put it all together. If they clean things up offensively, there’s plenty of room to grow as Big 12 play heats up.